Castor Files Legislation to Stop ‘Trump-Approved Junk Health Plans’

The plans, also known as short-term, limited-duration insurance plans, “do not protect you if you get sick and leave you on the hook for costly medical bills,” U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor said.

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to what they call the continued sabotage of affordable, quality health care and protections for our neighbors with preexisting conditions by President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, and four other members of the U.S. House of Representatives have introduced legislation to reverse the Trump Administration’s expansion of junk health insurance plans, also known as short-term, limited-duration insurance plans.

“Junk health insurance plans are no substitute for meaningful health insurance. President Trump and Republicans are pushing ‘short-term’ health plans that do not protect you if you get sick and leave you on the hook for costly medical bills. All too often, many preexisting conditions also are not covered in junk policies,” Castor said. “Junk policies return us to the ‘bad old days’ when insurance companies could cancel your policy when you get sick and exclude conditions in the fine print. The legislation I filed will stop the Trump Administration’s expansion of junk health insurance plans that are instead cynical attempts to lure families and individuals into cheap, but insufficient coverage. Democrats in Congress will stand up for families and oppose Republican sabotage of the Affordable Care Act.”

Castor’s legislation would halt the Trump Administration’s rule that allows insurance companies to sell sub-par junk health insurance plans for longer periods of time. Stopping this rule, she said, is an important step towards undoing the damage Republicans have caused to Americans’ health care and their wallets.

“It is irresponsible and cruel for President Trump and Republicans at every level of government to rip life-saving health coverage away from my neighbors and families across America,” Castor said. “I will continue to stand up and fight Republican efforts to take away comprehensive health coverage and increase health care costs – especially for my fellow Floridians and Americans with preexisting conditions.”

Castor serves on the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, which has oversight over health-care policy, and helped craft the ACA. Last week, her Energy & Commerce Committee held a hearing to bring attention to the potential effects of, what she called one of the Republicans’ latest attempts to sabotage our health care: Texas v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a lawsuit aimed at dismantling the ACA and undoing critical protections included in the law for people with preexisting conditions.